Fifteen Hungarian Peasant Songs
Fifteen Hungarian Peasant Songs, Sz. 71, BB 79 is a collection of short folk melodies arranged for piano by Hungarian composer Béla Bartók. It was composed between 1914 and 1918.
Structure
This collection of pieces consists of fifteen movements, and some of them are put into groups. A typical performance of this work should last between thirteen and fifteen minutes. The movement list is as follows:
- Four Old Tunes
- I. Rubato
- II. Andante - Poco sostenuto - Più andante (Tempo I) - Poco sostenuto - Più andante
- III. Poco rubato - Sostenuto
- IV. Andante
- V. Scherzo. Andante - Sostenuto, poco rubato - Tempo I
- VI. Ballad (Theme with variations). Andante - Più andante - Poco adagio - Più andante - Maestoso
- Old Dance Tunes
- VII. Allegro
- VIII. Allegretto
- IX. Allegretto
- X. L'istesso tempo
- XI. Assai moderato
- XII. Allegretto
- XIII. Poco più vivo - Allegretto
- XIV. Allegro
- XV. Allegro - Più vivo - Poco più meno vivo
Some critics claim Bartók intended the work to be split into two parts: the first one would include the first six movements, and the second one would include the following nine movements.[1] However, such division is not present in the original score.
Notable recordings
Notable recordings of this composition include:
| Piano Solo | Record Company | Year of Recording | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| András Schiff | Denon Records / Brilliant Classics | 1980 | CD[2] |
| Sviatoslav Richter | Parnassus Records | 1956 | CD[3] |
Arrangements
The 15 songs have all been orchestrated by Nathan Kelly for symphonic orchestra and are frequently performed by orchestras.
References
External links
Fifteen Hungarian Peasant Songs, Sz. 71, BB 79: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
